The invention relates to a harvesting machine for picking up crop comprising a container with a closable filler neck used to accommodate a fluid that can be fed by a supply system to crop picked up by the harvesting machine.
A known harvesting machine for picking up crop is disclosed in application DE 10 2009 002 102 A1. The machine described therein is a self-propelled forage harvester comprising a container embodied as a tank for accommodating an ensilage agent that is applied onto the crop conveyed in the forage harvester during the harvesting process. Ensilage agent is used to promote the fermentation process, improve the feed value of the silage and to prevent the formation of sources of putrefaction in the crop. The ensilage agent is a mixture composed of one or more chemicals and water. The ensilage agent that is used is mixed at the onset of a harvesting operation and is filled into the tank provided therefor on the forage harvester.
Disadvatageously, the quantity of ensilage agent required must be quantitatively estimated in advance, which can result in residual quantities in the container. Residual quantities post use are generally no longer usable after a short period of time, since lactic acid bacteria or enzymes contained in the ensilage agent (for example) have a limited life span if not properly stored. The ensilage agent located in the container is applied, in a targeted manner, to the crop conveyed in the forage harvester by means of a supply system comprising a metering device.
A further disadvantage is that separate systems for metering are required when ULV (ultra-low volume) ensilage agents are used, when the intention is to use these ULV ensilage agents in addition to a diluted mixture of ensilage agent or as an additive to the water located in the tank. In that case, the ULV ensilage agent is disposed in a separate container on the harvesting machine and is connected to the separate metering system. Due to this additional arrangement, greater effort is required to monitor and control the metering and a relatively large amount of installation space is required on the harvesting machine. In addition, the effect of solar radiation and heat dissipated by an engine of the harvesting machine on the ULV ensilage agent located in the separate container is great, since excess heating causes the microorganisms to die.